An Experiential and Cultural Museum in the Philippines

Hello! ✨☘️

Happy New Year, artsy peeps! 🎨

It has been a while since I posted in Art Talk. Since it was the holiday season, I and the family decided to visit a cultural museum in Santiago, Ilocos Sur, Philippines. Umay Ka (Come Here) is based on culture and ancestral spirits. The concept of the museum is nature's shape- irregular, asymmetrical, and co-existence of soil and trees. It is also the reception area for the hotel, so while you wait, you can have the time to look around. 🥳🍃

The entrance fee for one person is 6.31 USD, which comes with a choice of drink and snack.

This is the entrance to the museum. I feel like this is hand-crafted since it is made out of wood. I suggest going early or during off-season to take decent pictures. It works for me because I am shy taking pictures when there are a lot of people. 😅

I did not realize that it was a giant woodwork until I looked up. For sure this craft took a lot of time and energy to make. The craft is super detailed, it has even some lashes, which is cute! ☺️ And oh, the ring? It is a functioning light! 😆

A close-up shot of the lashes~ 👁 Just don't blink! 😆

Everything here is made out of wood, well, except for the concrete. But notice that even the floor has a wood accent. The illumination of the light gave the museum a nice, warm sense.

These are hand-painted Abaniko fans which I believe are for sale. We call it "pamaypay", a handheld fan made of Anahaw palm leaves. My grandma used to collect these because they are lightweight and longlasting. 🍃

Wooden hair brushes are also available.

These earring pieces are perfect for Summer. 😍 The vibrant colors of the daggled earrings are perfect for beach photo ops~ 🌊 I am totally loving the bright pink tassel earrings.

I have to take a closer shot of this light fixture. I wonder how they put the light inside. 😅 I can envision this design in a nice beach dining or a deco for a Summer wedding. It is giving a boho-beachy vibe ✨

Aside from the wooden crafts from ceiling to floor, the museum also exhibited some of the local artists' art. How much time do you spend staring at a single piece of art? 😅 Me, probably an average of three minutes. In the right picture, in my judgment, the artist used a graphite pencil and used the techniques of shading and smudging. On the other hand, the contrast of light and dark made the art striking.

I was curious about what these characters meant. I cannot read them so I sent them to a friend who can read Japanese characters. He said that it made no sense. 😅 But I think the paintbrush strokes are clean and proportioned.

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I thought this was a real person sitting. It looks so real in my peripheral vision. 😅 I had a mini heart attack! 😆 He was alone by himself. I wish he had some company. Just don't move!

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Overall, I enjoyed the art and the design of the museum.✨💖 For the price of 6 USD, it is decent for the little tour and free drink and snack. You can see the whole museum in just one turn since this is a lobby/reception of the hotel. The staff was kind to tell a little background of the culture and history of the place. I do hope that they add more pieces and artwork in the future~ 🙌🏻✨

Check out their website here.

That is it for this blog. Thanks for reading~ 💖

📸 All photos are owned and taken by me, otherwise credited. ©️jijisaurart

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